Shreyas Iyer will remain part of India’s squad for the remainder of the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Tuesday. The update comes as Tilak Varma continues his recovery from injury and is now expected to rejoin the national side only ahead of India’s warm-up fixture for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

India have already sealed the five-match T20I series with an emphatic 3-0 lead, but the team management has opted to maintain continuity in the squad as preparations intensify for the global event beginning on February 7.

BCCI confirms Tilak Varma’s gradual recovery plan

In an official statement, the BCCI provided clarity on Tilak’s rehabilitation timeline, confirming that the left-hander is making steady progress at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. However, the board acknowledged that Tilak requires additional time to regain full match fitness.

“Tilak Varma is making steady progress with his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru,” the statement read. “However, he will require additional time to regain full match fitness and will not be available for the final two T20Is of the ongoing IDFC First Bank five-match T20I series.”

The board further added that Tilak is scheduled to link up with the Indian squad in Mumbai on February 3, once he has fully recovered, in time for the team’s warm-up match ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Selection committee backs Shreyas Iyer as replacement

With Tilak unavailable for the remainder of the series, the Men’s Selection Committee has recommended that Shreyas Iyer continues as his replacement. While Iyer has not featured in a match so far, his presence offers depth and experience as India manage workloads and finalize combinations.

Despite being named in the squad, Iyer has had to wait for an opportunity, with India preferring to test other options after clinching the series early. The decision reflects the team’s broader strategy of balancing preparation with experimentation before a major tournament.

India’s team management has instead chosen to give extended opportunities to Ishan Kishan, who has made a return to international cricket after nearly two years. Ishan has been handed a run in the batting order as part of India’s forward planning for the World Cup.

Explaining the decision before the series began, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the move was based on fairness and long-term planning. “We picked him first for the World Cup team, so it’s only fair that he gets the chance first. He also has not played for India in a long time. He deserves to play ahead,” Suryakumar had stated.

Injury setback and race against time for Tilak

Tilak Varma sustained an abdomen injury while representing his state in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. At the time, medical advice suggested surgery, which effectively ruled him out of the T20I series against New Zealand and raised concerns about his availability for the T20 World Cup.

The injury turned his recovery into a race against time, but the latest update from the BCCI suggests cautious optimism. By delaying his return until he is fully fit, India appear keen to avoid any risk of aggravation ahead of a demanding tournament.

Updated India squad for the remaining T20I series against New Zealand

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer.